NorthernTerritoryGovernment

Submission No: ......\S2.W?......

Date Received: . ^ & W \ o < r 1

Secretary: ......JiMJL

Northern Territory Government

Submission

to the

House of Representative's inquiry

intoClimate Change and EnvironmentalImpacts on Coastal Communities

1

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION 3

2. DETAILS OF THE INQUIRY 6

3. EXISTING POLICIES AND PROGRAMS RELATED TO COASTAL ZONEMANAGEMENT, TAKING IN THE CATCHMENT-COAST-OCEANCONTINUUM .....7

4. THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF COASTAL POPULATION GROWTHAND MECHANISMS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE USE OF COASTALRESOURCES , 11

5. CLIMATE CHANGE IN COASTAL AREAS 14

5.1 THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON COASTAL AREAS u5.2 STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION, PARTICULARLY IN

RESPONSE TO PROJECTED SEA LEVEL RISE 1 8

6. MECHANISMS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE COASTAL COMMUNITIES. 24

7. GOVERNANCE AND INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THECOASTAL ZONE 26

8. ATTACHMENTS..... ...29

ATTACHMENT A: INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND CONVENTIONS 29

ATTACHMENT B: LEGISLATION RELEVANT TO THE NT COASTAL ZONE 29

ATTACHMENT C: NORTHERN TERRITORY COASTAL COMMUNITIES MAP 29

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1. Introduction

The coastal zone is one of Australia's greatest assets, providing unique values and

resources to the Australian way of life. The capacity to ensure ecologically sustainable

use and development of the coastal zone is an imperative for all Australians. The

Northern Territory (NT) possesses over 7 200 km of coastline and 71 839 km2 of its

waters lay entirely within the monsoon tropics. Further, it possesses 398 islands and

more than one million hectares of wetland. Indigenous Territorians hold title to

approximately 84 per cent of the NT's coastline; have strong cultural ties to the sea, a

well developed system of traditional custodianship and spiritual connections with

numerous sites and species of marine fauna and flora. This submission will deal with two

interdependent threats to coastal environments: climate change and population

expansion.

The significant concentration of Australia's population within 50 km of the coast

(approximately 80 per cent) has exposed greater numbers of people, wealth and

infrastructure to extreme coastal weather events. These socioeconomic trends are

projected to. continue for at least the next half century, and thus Australia's vulnerability to

extreme events will continue to increase. Moreover, any environmental ramifications

caused by population expansion on the coast are likely to be exacerbated by climatic

changes.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS),1 the population of the Northern

Territory is approximately 218 000, comprising only 1.04% of the Australian total. On the

coast, the two largest population centres are Darwin (117 000) and Nhulunbuy (3 700).

Alyangula on Groote Eyiandt has a population of 1 200, but other coastal settlements are

small (200 - 300 people) and relatively isolated (refer to Northern Territory Coastal

Communities map in Attachment C). Most of the Northern Territory coastline is therefore

largely unpopulated, and remains remote and often inaccessible during the wet season

because there are relatively few sealed roads and floodwaters cover large areas during

the wet season. As a consequence, many coastal areas in the NT are accessible only by

air or boat. Much of the Indigenous land in particular is remote and difficult to access.

' Australian Bureau of Statistics (4 Sep. 2008) Population Projections Australia, http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsfi'mi73222.0.

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While coastal and marine environments in the Northern Territory are relatively pristine,

increased anthropogenic activities on a local and regional scale (and also, from activities

in international waters) now threaten several habitats and species. Also of concern to the

Northern Territory are the predicted changes in climatic patterns to coastal areas,

including an increase in average rainfall, intensification of storms and cyclones and a rise

in both temperature and sea levels.2 These changes are expected to affect both the

physical and biological conditions of the coastal zone. In turn, changes to these

conditions are likely to have significant cultural, social and economic ramifications,

particularly to coastal settlements, industries and indigenous and non indigenous

communities.

This submission will suggest that to ameliorate the impacts of climate change in coastal

areas, what is critically needed is a national approach to coastal marine climate change

research, monitoring and data management. This includes national data, monitoring and

reporting systems and the development of bioregional coastal adaptation strategies and

plans. Significantly, in the Northern Territory, these adaptation plans need to recognise

the inalienable tenure, rights and interests of coastal, Indigenous communities - and build

on current 'Sea Country1 monitoring, planning and management programs and activities.

The Commonwealth Government should facilitate a strategic approach to identify and

address the national and regional gaps in research knowledge and develop monitoring

and data management systems so as to improve and sustain coastal zone management

in the face of climate change. Currently, there are limited mechanisms to assist or

encourage information sharing, which is exacerbated by the competitive nature of

national research funding and the co-investment business model to national research

investment.

There is a further need to develop broader scale and cost effective monitoring tools such

as remote sensing (particularly in remote regions) and a necessity to expand the focus of

current climate change research from demographic and infrastructural sectors to

incorporate the bio-economic impacts and the effects of climate change and major

catastrophic events on biodiversity, including predictive scenario modelling.

2 K. Hennessy et. al. Climate Change in the Northern Territory (Climate Impact Group, CSIRO AtmosphericResearch, 2004).

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The resulting research needs to be added to existing data via a consistent mechanism for

data sharing amongst researchers, government agencies and communities (including

Indigenous) across Australia to develop a coordinated approach to dealing with the

challenges that climate change presents for the Australian coastline.

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2, Details of the Inquiry

On 20 March 2008 the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate

Change, Water, Environment and the Arts were asked to inquire in and report on climate

change and environmental impacts on coastal communities,

The Northern Territory Government was invited to make a submission.

The Terms of Reference to the inquiry are:

• existing policies and programs related to coastal zone management, taking in the

catchment-coast-ocean continuum

» the environmental impacts of coastal population growth and mechanisms to

promote sustainable use of coastal resources

» the impact of climate change on coastal areas and strategies to deal with climate

change adaptation, particularly in response to projected sea level rise

• mechanisms to promote sustainable coastal communities and

• governance and institutional arrangements for the coastal zone.

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3. Existing policies and programs related to coastal zone

management, taking In the catchment-coast-ocean continuum

The Northern Territory (NT) Government has an integrated framework for coastal

planning and management across relevant government agencies, but it does not posses

a specific legislative base to establish the policy roles and responsibilities of government

in the coastal zone.

The NT Planning Act provides for a single integrated NT Planning Scheme, with the

Minister for Planning and Lands holding responsibility. Any proposed development of

land subject to storm surge and coastal landfill must meet the standards set under

Clauses 6.14 and 6.15 of the NT Planning Scheme; which specify that residential and

community services developments should be avoided in the 'Primary' and 'Secondary'

storm surge area.

The NT Government, Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport

(NRETAS; www.nt.gov.au/nretas) has the core responsibility for managing the Territory's

environment, including coastal, and marine environments, estuaries and their

catchments. The NT Government Department of Regional Development, Primary

Industry, Fisheries and Resources (DRDPIFR), manages the Territory's fishing

resources, including, commercial and recreational fisheries, aquaculture, aquatic pests,

and fisheries research and monitoring (see: www.fisheries.nt.gov.au). DRDPIFR has an

Aquatic Pest Management Unit that monitors waters in Darwin marinas, selected sites in

the greater Darwin Harbour area and around Nhulunbuy to detect the presence of aquatic

pests.

The Northern Territory Coastal Management Policy, initially developed in 1985 and under

internal review since 2001, currently provides a level of jurisdictional cohesion and

direction in coastal and marine management, but given the inherent limitations of non

statutory policies, other complementary management mechanisms are also required. To

this end, several coastal marine policies and strategies are currently being finalised by

NRETAS which will assist with sustainable coastal planning and management in the NT.

This includes the development of an 'NT Coastal, Estuarine and Marine Biodiversity

Strategy and Action Plan' that will provide a policy framework and priority actions for

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coastal biodiversity management in the NT, including the development of coastal marine

bio-regional plans. Under a proposed Northern Territory Coastal and Marine Planning

Framework, the Interim Marine and Coastal Regionalisation of Australia (IMCRA)

bioregions will be used as a basis for the establishment of Bioregional Management

Plans (BMPs).

In addition, the Northern Territory Government is currently finalising a monitoring and

reporting framework for coastal, estuarine and marine ecosystems, as part of Natural

Resource Management (NRM) and State of the Environment reporting. This program

builds on national efforts, coordinated by the Intergovernmental Coastal Advisory Group

(ICAG) and undertaken by the former National Land and Water Resources Audit

(NLVVRA) - including the identification of indicators and an ecosystem based and

stressor based approach to monitoring and reporting of coastal and marine assets.

The policy framework for management of coastal environments in the Northern Territory

is also consistent with national policy and planning. This includes the National Oceans

Policy (through strategies such as the National Strategy for an Ecologically Sustainable

Development 1992 and the National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia's

Biological Diversity 1996). A core component of the Oceans Policy, 'Regional Marine

Planning1, has recently been incorporated under the Environment Protection and

Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), and the Northern Marine Bioregional Plan is

currently being finalised.

The Northern Territory is also bound by Australia's international responsibilities and

obligations under various agreements, treaties and conventions (these may be found in

Attachment A). Under the Convention on Biological Diversity (United Nations

Environmental Programme, 1992) signatory governments are required to develop

national biodiversity strategies and action plans and to integrate these into broader

national plans for environment and development. These obligations are implemented at

a national level and at the state / territory level under the Intergovernmental Agreement

on the Environment (1992).

Current coastal programs in the NT are largely limited to Darwin Harbour and major

population centres (i.e. Nhulunbuy) and are documented in a range of publications,

including the Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan of the NT (2005). Overall,

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Territory wide coastal research and monitoring programs are limited. There is very little

research and monitoring occurring outside of the Darwin Harbour region and areas

subject to mining (e.g. Nhulunbuy, Alligator Rivers region). National Geographic

Information Systems (2004) highlighted that there is a deficiency of water quality

information for NT coasts and estuaries.

There is no overarching legislation (and no single coordinating agency) for coastal and

marine planning and management, or integrated catchment management in the NT.

Apart from Darwin Harbour, there is no coastal or catchment management authorities in

the NT or regionally based groups with the formal responsibility for overseeing the

management of particular coasts, estuaries or their catchments. Catchment advisory

groups have been established under the Water Act but are largely only active for the

purposes of public consultation and developing management plans. There are also

consultative forums involving government, industry, Indigenous, and recreational

representatives for fisheries management, aquaculture, marine pests, and environmental

plans for mines (Land Council of the Northern Territory, 2005).

Within Darwin Harbour, the Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee oversees the

implementation of the Darwin Harbour Regional Plan of Management (released in 2003)

and provides a community based sounding board on issues relevant to the Darwin

Harbour region. Included in the plan is the aim to conduct research and monitoring to

improve the knowledge and understanding of the region's environment.

While there are no coastal management bodies or authorities in the NT, Indigenous

communities such as Yolngu and Yanuywar have recently undertaken 'Sea Country1

planning to identify management issues and strategies to support land and sea

conservation and sustainable use, and to identify regional economic development and

employment opportunities. These 'Sea Country1 plans include coastal environments and

estuaries. These plans, if adequately resourced, supported and integrated with

government programmes, provide an avenue and exciting opportunity to implement

integrated coastal management on indigenous land, and in the remote regions of the NT.

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The Caring for Sea Country Program developed by the Northern Land Council aims to

increase the capacity of local Indigenous communities to be involved in coastal and

marine natural resource management (LCNT, 2005). The program involves assisting

communities with planning and managing their sea country through workshops, ranger

programs, research projects, and assisting with accessing funding. Ranger programs

with sea management capacity have been created around the coast (including in Tiwi

Islands, Wadeye, Borroloola and Maningrida) and there is high demand amongst

Indigenous people for more of these programs. There are also now over 30 Indigenous

community based land and sea management agencies in the NT.

Such programs and communities, if supported appropriately and resourced adequately

could provide a very effective avenue for sustainable managing, monitoring and

conserving the remote and often inaccessible coastal regions of the NT.

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4. The environmentaS impacts of coastal population growth and

mechanisms to promote sustainable use of coastal resources

Ninety percent of coastal waterways in the Northern Territory (NT) were classified as

near pristine during the National Land and Water Resources Audit (NLWRA 2002).

This is a far higher percentage than any other state or territory, and much higher than

the national percentage (of 50 percent). The near pristine coastal waterways in the

NT span the full range of estuary sizes, from numerous small tidal creeks (generally

less than 12 km2), through moderately sized tide dominated estuaries (100 - 200

km2) such as the East Alligator, Bynoe and Keep River estuaries, to the very large

systems such as the Victoria River tide dominated estuary (638 km2) and the Arnhem

Bay embayment (1124 km2). The large number of apparently near pristine estuaries

in the NT reflects the small size of the population and the relatively good quality of

the catchments.

Based on the 2006 Census Usual Residence Count for tropical river catchment areas

(custom geography defined by Charies Darwin University and based on combinations of

Collection Districts and Statistical Local Areas), the total population of NT catchments

excluding the Darwin area was 47 647. However, according to Australian Bureau of

Statistics population projections,3 by 2056 Darwin's population is projected to double in

size to 243 000 people. This poses environmental concerns as the population boom and

associated augmentation in coastal use will likely increase stress on the surrounding

coastal environment. The Territory's coastal and estuatine ecosystems support critical

ecological links for many marine biotas. As with similar environments, the NT coastal and

marine environment is susceptible to land based input from coastal and catchment

development.

Impacts include habitat removal, increasing nutrient, sediment and pollutant loads and

introduction of terrestrial and marine pests. Currently, the relatively low levels of industrial

infrastructure and maritime activity, in combination with the large, semidiurnal tidal range

suggest the low levels of anthropogenic contaminants entering the waters of Darwin

harbour are subject to a rapid and substantial dilution. Ambient water quality surveys of

3 Australian Bureau of Statistics (4 Sep. 2008) Population Projections Australia,http://www.abs.gov.au/Aussta ts/abs@.ns£i'mf73222.0.

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Darwin Harbour have consistently reported low levels of heavy metals, pesticides,

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hydrocarbons.4

An increase in population in specific coastal areas of the Northern Territory is likely to

cause augmented coastal and marine pollution. Pollution may impact directly upon

organisms, causing mortality, stress or reproductive impairment, either immediately or

through cumulative effects. Secondly, greater coastal developments pose significant

issues to the Territory's corals. The Arafura and Timor Seas are major shipping routes

and corals may be affected by oil spills and groundings. Coastal development may

further affect coral communities through increased sediment and pollution entering the

marine environment.

Finally, potential impacts from fisheries including commercial, recreational and

Indigenous can be through direct mortality (over harvesting of target species), indirect

mortality (accidental catch of threatened species and by catch) and habitat degradation.

In many instances, little research has been undertaken on the impacts of such effects on

fish populations, food chains, by-catch species, threatened species and encompassing

ecosystems. However, NT fishing bag limits help to reduce the amount that recreational

anglers can take.

Future coastal planning and decision making should ensure the improvement of

processes for gathering and sharing information and resources about cross jurisdictional

population and long term demographic trends including tourism and visitation patterns.

This will assist in preparing for long term population challenges on the coastal zone.

To better integrate population trends into coastal zone planning and management, the

Australian Government should co-ordinate and share national research and information

available about population change and long term demographic trends in coastal areas in

a format which can be used by territory, regional and local planners. Commonwealth

development of such a project will ensure nationally consistent and integrated coastal

zone information.

4 Australian Government, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Water Quality Monitoring Project: DarwinHarbour, Can be found at http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/research/darwin/dliwqmp/dliwq-005.html.

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Planning of future development in the coastal zone in anticipation of sea level rise can

reduce the costs of climate change by enabling gradual retreat from advancing shorelines

rather than inundation of occupied land. Successful implementation of such adaptive

responses necessitates, however, extensive public education about climate change and

its consequences.

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5. Climate Change in coastal areas

5.1 The impact of climate change on coastal areas

Low profile coasts, shallow continental shelves and macro tidal conditions mean that the

Northern Territory (NT) coastal and marine environments are particularly vulnerable to

the impacts of climate change. By year 2100, the global sea level is projected to rise by

between 18 and 59 cm.5 Such a rise in sea levels is expected to increase the salinity of

coastal ground waters as aquifers are affected by salt water intrusion. As freshwater

resources become more scarce, competition for water between NT towns, agriculture

and environmental requirements may increase.

Water quality in the Northern Territory may also be affected due to increased soil erosion

and higher temperatures. Furthermore, the wetland system of Kakadu depends on a

finely balanced interaction between freshwater and marine environments, in certain

areas, the natural levees that act as a barrier between Kakadu's freshwater and saltwater

systems are only 20cm high. Sea level rises of another 59cm by 21006 would adversely

affect 90 percent of the Kakadu wetland system.

The causes of saltwater intrusion in the NT are not clearly elucidated but are likely to

have resulted from a combination of factors including the impact of feral water buffalo,

destruction of off shore shoals (sandy elevations in marine environments) and changing

land management practices. It is expected that climate change and sea level rise will

exacerbate these changes and potentially lead to the destruction of many freshwater

wetlands.

Thus, many of the NT wetlands including the BIyth / Liverpool wetlands and the Alligator

Rivers Region are under threat of both sea level rise and saltwater intrusion. Natural,

cultural, social and economic resources across NT wetlands may be adversely affected

by climatic changes over the long term. Specifically, sea level rise, shoreline erosion and

saltwater intrusion may degrade both the salt and freshwater wetlands.

5 Garnaut, R. The Garnaut Climate Change Review (Cambridge University Press, 2008) p. 126.6 Gamaut, R. The Garnaut Climate Change Review (Cambridge University Press, 2008) pp. 75-96.

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This would be manifested within a:

• reduction or loss of some components of the mangrove fringe on the coast line

• extensive loss of Melaleuca (paperbark trees) which stands on the margins of

some wetlands

• colonisation of mangrove species along creek lines as an accompaniment to salt

water intrusion, and

• replacement of freshwater wetlands with saline mudflats.

With changes in the wetland plant communities and habitats there may also be changes

in animal populations. Particularly noticeable would be changes to the community

composition and distribution of bird species found in the freshwater wetlands. For

example, recent research indicates that in northern Australia, using CSIRO climate

change projections to 2030 and 2070, barramundi, prawn and mud crab catches may be

adversely impacted by changes in rainfall.7 Additionally, there would be changes in the

morphology of the streams and billabongs and in the composition of fish and other

aquatic species. However, detailed analyses of habitat species interactions have not yet

been undertaken. Such changes in the natural vegetation and faunal resources are likely

to have cultural, social and economic consequences for Indigenous and non Indigenous

people living in or visiting the area.

Additionally, rising temperatures have the potential to damage a wide array of the

Northern Territory's fragile ecosystems, particularly the mangrove and estuarine

environments. Distributions of pest species and weeds may vary as changes in

temperature and water availability make different areas suitable for these species to

thrive in. Moreover, specific impacts of rising temperatures also exist, specifically issues

arising from sex determination of marine reptiles, particularly turtles. Turtle eggs require

temperature ranges between 25°C and 34°C for the optimum ratio of males and females;

increasing temperature may result in reduced survivorship and / or a shift in nesting

locations. Similarly, crocodiles, a significant cultural icon of the Northern Territory,

possess a temperature dependent sex determination.

7 Hobday, A. J., Poloczanska, E. S. and R. J. Matear (ed.) (2008), Climate Impacts on Australian Fisheries andAquaculture: Implications for the Effects of Climate Change, draft report to the Australian GovernmentDepartment of Climate Change, Canberra.

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Cora! reefs are under threat of bleaching also due to increases in average water

temperatures and higher carbon dioxide levels. In the NT a damaging coral bleaching

event was recorded at Cobourg Marine Park in November 2002 resulting in the death of

approximately 90 percent of the recorded corals (mostly in the Acroporiidae Family). The

Cobourg Marine Park Plan of Management suggested that the bleaching was a

combined result of environmental and anthropogenic stresses.8 Coral bleaching occurs

when corals experience extreme stress (such as high water temperatures) and expel

their algae.

In response, monitoring and surveying of coral reefs is a matter of priority in the Cobourg

Marine Park, As such, approximately ten percent of the coral communities in the

Cobourg Marine Park will be zoned for conservation. Ongoing sustainable management

and conservation of coral habitats will require broad scale mapping, long term monitoring

programs and partnerships with local communities and sea ranger groups.

Other likely implications of climate change for the marine environment include, but are not

limited to:

• loss, degradation of habitat or changes in species distribution and density

• changes in ocean currents, upwellings and productivity

• displacement, distributional and abundance changes of marine species

• phenological changes (e.g. changes in timing of migration, spawning or other

climate related responses)

• lower ocean productivity and disrupted/changed food chains, and

• ocean acidification (changing the ability of calcium carbonate producing organisms

to construct shells).

Cobourg Peninsula Sanctuary and Marine Park Board and Parks and Wildlife Service of the Northern TerritoryDepartment of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts (2007) Cobourg Marine Park Plan of Management,htlp:/Avwwjit,gov.aii/iireta/parks/manage/plans/pd^ccoburgmarmepark.pdf.

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In addition to potential environmental impacts, a multitude of possible effects exist for

housing, health, local and regional economies, infrastructure and industries (including

agriculture, fishing, natural resource based tourism and mining). Projected rises in sea

level, cyclone intensity and storm surges places coastal towns and communities at an

increased risk of flooding, erosion and storm damage.

Further, Indigenous cultural practices and sites could be affected if traditional hunting

grounds and sacred sites are submerged. The impacts on remote Indigenous

communities which are reliant on coastal regions for food supplies and culture sustaining

activities may be significant. Remote communities already have substantially higher food

and energy costs than mainstream demographics. Thus, potential adverse ramifications

exist for remote communities in adaptation to climate change.

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5.2 Strategies to deal with climate change adaptation, particularly in response toprojected sea level rise

The Northern Territory (NT) Government has a role to ensure appropriate infrastructure

planning to mitigate and adapt to climate change in coastal communities. The future

development of Darwin and other coastal communities in the NT will need to take into

consideration potential climate change impacts to ensure that infrastructure and

developments do not adversely impact on the coastal and marine environments.

Consequently, there is a need to identify specific climate change impacts for coastal

areas of the NT, including potential physical, economic, and social changes to inform the

management of current infrastructure in the NT and infrastructure planning to limit

environmental impacts. The distributed populations along the NT coastline highlight the

importance of transport and communication infrastructure to link and service

communities.

Through a partnership agreement with the NT Government, Charles Darwin University's

School for Environmental Research has a series of active research programs under the

theme of Livelihoods and Policy Research. This research includes participatory

modelling techniques to explore future options and strategies to manage social-ecological

systems, adapt to changing landscapes, and examine the trade-offs between economic

development and the conservation of nature. The research focus also examines the

implications of climate change on social, economic, and natural capital.

Notwithstanding the Northern Territory's local research programs, there remains a lack of

data on the physical nature of the NT coastline and inshore hydrodynamic processes and

also, the extent and biological condition of the NT's coastal and marine habitats. This is a

major constraint in the prediction and assessment of coastal climate change impacts in

the NT and the development of coastal climate change adaptation strategies and plans.

A national approach to acquiring and developing long term data series is required for

monitoring for Australia's coastal and marine environments. New remote sensing

technologies for surface waters (satellite sensors), shallow waters (LIDAR) and deeper

waters (multi beam swath bathymetry, remotely operated and autonomous underwater

vehicles - ROV and AUV) offer significant opportunities for monitoring remote coastal and

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marine environments, particularly in the NT. While the recent Integrated Marine

Observing System (IMOS) funded by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure

Strategy (NCRIS) provides one national approach to acquiring and developing these

technologies, the Northern Territory to date has received little of the proposed national

infrastructure and investment associated with IMOS. Significant infrastructure investment

is required in the NT (and the whole of the northern Australia) to be effective in mitigating

and adapting to the impacts of climate change.

The following actions are urgently needed to support the development of coastal climate

change adaptation strategies in the NT:

• develop a targeted strategy to address key gaps in knowledge of coastal and

marine habitats and biodiversity in the NT

• develop a targeted strategy to improve access and sharing of knowledge and

local, regional, national data among non-indigenous (i.e. government,

research, community, industry) and indigenous stakeholders

• improve the understanding of the vulnerability of coastal and marine

biodiversity to climate change focussing on ecosystems and species that are

at particular risk

• identify and develop appropriate, cost effective coastal climate change

monitoring and assessment tools, particularly remote sensing and predictive

scenario modelling tools to assist coastal managers to predict and evaluate

climate change impacts, and

• work toward a nationally consistent marine and coastal biodiversity and

fisheries monitoring, reporting and regional / national database and

information system with baseline / reference sites in and out of marine

protected areas.

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Further, the management of coastal climate change impacts in the NT will be significantly

assisted through:

« developing regional coastal marine climate adaptation plans that identify climate

risks and vulnerabilities and also marine management scenarios and adaptations

for coastal marine industries and activities

• integrating knowledge of regional climate change risks and vulnerability into

bioregional planning, sea country planning and decision making processes

• supporting NT Government agencies to train and assist indigenous communities

to understand, monitor and manage coastal climate change impacts

• supporting NT coastal partnerships and coastal programs, particularly on 'sea

country' or indigenous lands, and

• developing a national governance framework to assess and review the integration

of current understanding of climate change into coastal management frameworks

and directions.

The following 'off reserve' coastal marine habitat management strategies and actions

(identified in 'A National Approach to Addressing Marine Biodiversity Decline1), would

also assist significantly in developing regional coastal climate change adaptation

strategies and plans in the NT (and nationally):

• Generalised coastal marine habitat community's classification systems

Coastal marine habitat biodiversity assessments, monitoring and reporting are

currently hindered by the lack of a national classification of coastal marine habitats

and communities. This work should build on existing classification efforts (i.e.

Integrated Marine and Coastal Regionalisation of Australia 2006 and other

relevant marine biogeographicai studies) and coordinate with current state of the

environment and NRM monitoring and evaluation monitoring and reporting

processes.

• Standardised coastal mapping, reporting, monitoring, databases

Species and habitat mapping and coastal monitoring in Australia is currently

undertaken by various Natural Resource Management (NRM), government, and

university groups. There are currently no nationally consistent reporting and

monitoring standards or protocols and significantly, no national databases to

assess the status and condition of coastal species or habitats in Australia; this

includes ecologically significant coastal habitats and wetlands (i.e. seagrasses,

mangroves, salt marshes, reefs) and also, migratory and protected species and

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wildlife such as turtles, dugongs, cetaceans, sharks and rays, seabirds and

shorebirds.

« Development approvals and assessment guidelines for coastal and marine

habitats

The direct and indirect impacts of developments on coastal and marine habitats

(e.g, seagrasses, mangroves, salt marshes) and their biodiversity are assessed

and managed differently across jurisdictions and agencies. Identical habitats and

communities can be subjected to rigorous development assessment and

approvals processes in one jurisdiction without any effective management in

another jurisdiction.

• 'Off reserve' management plans

'Off reserve' management plans that recognise the full range of biodiversity

impacts and provide guidance on how to engage industry in reducing impacts and

offsetting losses would be a valuable instrument in coastal and marine habitat

management.

• Habitat protection and management plans

Like protected species, coastal marine habitats in Australia would benefit from a

national approach to habitat identification, valuation and management, including

the development of habitat management plans, which include prioritised actions

and research priorities.

• Identification of rare and threatened coastal marine habitats, communities

and key processes threatening Australia's coastal marine habitats

Both on a national and regional basis, very little work has been undertaken to

assess the conservation status of Australia's marine habitats / communities.

Projected changes in the climate may affect natural systems and human settlements.

The NT Government has recognised the need to 'anticipate, plan and respond to the

impact of climate change' in its research priorities for 2008 - 2015.9 For coastal

management to be most effective it is increasingly necessary to ensure dialogue and

cooperation between the technical, scientific and policy making bodies, as well as

between governments at all levels and community groups that share responsibility for

coastal management. Early studies, such as the Integrated Assessment of Climate

Northern Territory Government (2007) Backing Tenitoiy Research: Research Priorities for the NorthernTerritory 2008 - 2015. Available at: http://www.nt.gov.au/biisiness/docuinents/general/Final%20Research%20Priorities%20Report%202008%20-2015.pdf

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Change Impacts on Urban Settlements (IACC1US)10, and the National Coastal

Vulnerability Assessment - Kakadu Case Study, are acknowledged, noting that the

analysis and interpretation is still at an early stage and will become more robust over

time.

There is a need to develop expertise in managing remote coastal areas that are affected

by natural and anthropogenic causes. Further, improved understanding of the scale and

range of potential impacts to the natural and built coastal environment is needed in order

to develop and implement appropriate response strategies.

The NT coastal environment necessitates management strategies that recognise

Indigenous cultural interests and issues. Indigenous people have a unique and enduring

connection with the sea and a multitude of benefits exists in developing complementary

and cooperative marine research, monitoring and planning among Indigenous groups,

governments at all levels, and the NT community.

In correlation with the Marine Biodiversity Report (2008),11 the improvement in the

management of climate change impacts on marine biodiversity may be undertaken

through:

• developing regional marine climate adaptation plans that identify climate risks and

vulnerabilities and also marine management scenarios and adaptations for marine

industries and activities

• integrate knowledge of regional climate change risks and vulnerability into

bioregional planning and decision making processes, and

• developing a national governance framework to assess and review the integration

of current understanding of climate change into coastal management frameworks

and directions.

10 Refer to Li, G. (2007). Approaching Integrated Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Urban Settlements.State of Australian Cities Conference. Adelaide, 28-30 November 2007 and Dovers, S. (2007). Still settlingcities: sustainability, governance and change. State of Australian Cities Conference. Adelaide, 28-30 November2007.1' Marine Biodiversity Decline Working Group, A National Approach to Addressing Marine BiodiversityDecline - Report to the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council, April 2008

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These goals align with the Australian Climate Change Science: A National Framework's

Coasts and Oceans policy which states that the major challenge is to manage the

multiple uses of coastal and marine environments in a manner that acknowledges the

risks and minimises the consequences of climate change.12

12 Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Australian Climate Change Science: A NationalFramework Exposure Draft (October 2008) can be found at:

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6. Mechanisms to promote sustainable coastal communities

Importantly, long term, coastal partnerships, particularly between government agencies

and indigenous communities are essential for the success of any coastal climate change

research, training, monitoring and management programs in the Northern Territory (NT).

NT Government agencies already have a range of medium to long term, 'on-the-ground'

coastal partnership programs with several indigenous communities and sea rangers

groups (i.e. Indigenous Protected Areas, debris, pests, turtles, dugongs, habitat

mapping).

Many of these coastal programs are supported through short term, Commonwealth

grants (National Heritage Trust (NHT), Natural Resource Management (NRM),

Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP)). With adequate long term,

resourcing these coastal programs could be expanded to include coastal climate change

research, monitoring, training, education, planning and management in the NT.

It is critical to review and evaluate existing Commonwealth funded coastal programs in

the NT - across all Commonwealth portfolios - to remove overlaps and ensure

integration of coastal research, monitoring, reporting and management activities. The

Commonwealth needs to recognise and importantly, support ongoing coastal programs

by Northern Territory government agencies - and particularly the successful, 'on-the-

ground' long term coastal partnerships and training programs with Indigenous

communities. This includes review and examination of current Commonwealth funding

guidelines for NRM and NHT, to specifically promote and support NT Government -

Indigenous partnership projects.

Lack of data and access to data remain major constraints to coastal climate change

monitoring and evaluation in the NT. In particular, data from Commonwealth funded

coastal programs (e.g. NHT, NRM) is often difficult to access. Data sharing and the

lodgement of all data (onto nominated national databases) should be a compulsory

requirement of all Commonwealth grants.

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The Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport (NRETAS) has

capability and strengths in coastal marine biodiversity, datasets and changes to

mangroves and other coastal habitats. The Department is currently constructing a

$600,000 online or web based marine and coastal Atlas. Using national metadata

standards, the Atlas aims to improve accessibility of coastal and marine information by

collating and standardising existing information. The project also aims to identify

information gaps on the condition and extent of NT coastal marine assets and identify

priority areas, habitats and species for long term monitoring. Significantly, this web based

atlas requires population with datasets from non government agencies / organisations

(industry, indigenous, communities, and researchers). This process would be assisted

through Commonwealth grants requiring formal lodgement of data onto this important

regional database.

The NT Environmental impact Assessment Guide: Greenhouse Gas Emissions and

Climate Change is used by the NT Government for assessment of developments under

the Environmental Assessment Act. The Guide requires developers to discuss how

projected climate change has been taken into account in planning, how climate change is

expected to affect the development over its stated lifetime, and how climate change

related risks will be managed.13

http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/environinent/greenhouse/publications.html

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7. Governance and institutional arrangements for the coastal zone

National governance frameworks are essential to implementing a cross jurisdictionai and

national approach to coastal management and particularly, climate change. Across

jurisdictional boundaries it is an ongoing challenge to ensure that conservation objectives

are complementary and that planning and management activities are coordinated. Inter

governmental relationships need to be communicative and proactive in ensuring

complementary 'on ground' actions. Government, industry and non government

organisations (NGOs) need to be working together to make the most of common coastal

climate change interests and requirements.

To this, the following actions are required:

• Foster collaborative relationships amongst jurisdictions to ensure

complementary responses to the coastal climate change

• Review national coordination across jurisdictions of responses to coastal

climate change and adaptation

• Progress the integrated management of the coastal zone including monitoring

coastal climate change.

Importantly, in light of the recent landmark Blue Mud Bay decision, Indigenous

stakeholders as significant land managers (particularly in northern Australia), need to be

included in all aspects of national coordination, development and implementation of

coastal climate change policies, strategies and plans.

Integrated coastal zone management (or ICZM) remains a major challenge for all

jurisdictions in Australia. As such, Australia's current response to coastal climate change

will be significantly undermined unless the challenge of ICZM is also addressed. To this it

is worth noting while the National Cooperative Approach to ICZM (NRMC 2006) identified

coastal climate change as a high priority issue requiring national collaboration, the

process came with no formal work program or funding.

In many respects there is a need for stronger national leadership on coastal

management, particularly if the challenge of climate change is to be addressed

effectively. Current institutional and national cooperative frameworks for the environment

26

- particularly on water quality, protected species, migratory wildlife, fisheries and habitat

management - need to be reviewed to ensure a national, coordinated and cost effective

approach to coastal management. In this respect, the Marine and Coastal Committee

(MACC) of the Natural Resource Management Standing Committee (NRMSC) and the

Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC) needs to play a much

stronger role in reviewing and defining current national cooperative frameworks to ensure

more effective national approach to coastal management and coastal climate change.

When national cooperative frameworks, strategies and plans do exist, they need to be

adequately resourced - if State/Territory agencies are to implement national plans. For

instance, approximately $7 million has been spent on marine turtle conservation in

Australia over the past 5 years. Of this, however, only $100K per year has been

allocated through the national turtle recovery group - addressing national priorities for

turtle conservation, recovery and management. This is just one example of how local

environmental priorities in Australia are often funded at the expense of national priorities.

To this end, Commonwealth funding and delivery mechanisms urgently need to be

reviewed - especially the links between NRM, NHT and recurrent Commonwealth

funding for biodiversity (wildlife, protected species, migratory species), environment

(water quality, pests), marine resources (fisheries, aquaculture) and indigenous

development and capacity building - to ensure that national priorities (not local priorities)

are being met and ensure integration and alignment of programs (and reduce overlap).

The Northern Territory Government supports the Australian Commonwealth

Governments' Department of Climate Change in its suggestion that effective

management of the coastal zone requires that those developing or making policy

decisions in coastal areas have access to diverse types of information including social,

cultural, economic, ecological, biophysical and geophysical information and data.

Coastal zone information and data, however, remains limited, particularly the status of

many coastal species and habitats. Research efforts that contribute to our understanding

of coastal environments benefit from coordination and monitoring to ensure that priority

areas are being addressed and that coastal management needs are being met.

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Adaptive management relies on dependable information being available to policy makers

and managers for initial decision making and for review and adaptation of management

responses. This may be undertaken via the formation of cross disciplinary working

groups organised by theme and with a specific mandate.

Capacity building is also necessary whereby co-operation between governments,

universities and research institutions should be promoted and an assessment of coastal

priorities to direct future data collection and research is undertaken. Such cross

disciplinary work is already being undertaken through Griffith University under the

National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility that is developing practical tools

to respond to the impacts of climate change. Northern Territory stakeholders, including

NT research organisations such as the Charles Darwin University need to be fully

incorporated into this forum, even if the Territory is not formally represented in all the

themes.

Currently, many coastal issues are dealt with on a state / territory basis rather than in an

integrated, intergovernmental and cross sectoral manner. However, environmental

change is manifest across the biophysical region irrespective of jurisdictional boundaries.

Governmental structures and community based management mechanisms need to

provide a consistent and appropriate response for coastal ecosystem management.

Currently, such nation wide change is occurring for the better. In correlation to the

National Framework on Climate Change the diabolical problem of climate change

requires a coordinated national response that will deliver the science needed for the

future health and productivity of our nation.

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8. Attachments

Attachment A: International Treaties and Conventions

Attachment B: Legislation Relevant to the NT Coastal Zone

Attachment C: Northern Territory Coastal Communities Map

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Attachment A

international Treaties and Conventions

(Treaties and Conventions relevant to NT coastal environments)

• Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (RAMSAR Convention) 1971

• UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural

Heritage 1972

• Internationa! Convention of Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping from Ships

and Aircraft 1972

• Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Flora and

Fauna (CITES) 1973

• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)

1973/1978

• Japan Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA) 1974

• Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn

Convention) 1979

• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982

• China Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA)

• Convention for the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment of the

South Pacific Region (SPREP) 1986 and two related protocols:

• SPREP Protocol Concerning Co-operation in Combating Pollution

Emergencies in the South Pacific Region 1986

• SPREP Protocol for the Prevention of Pollution of the South Pacific Region

by Dumping

• Convention on Biological Diversity 1992

» United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 1992

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Attachment B

Legislation Relevant to the NT Coastal Zone

Conservation

• National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975 (Cth)

« Historic Shipwreck Act 1976 (Cth)

• Environmental Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978 (Cth)

• Environmental Protection (Northern Territory Supreme Court) Act 1978 (Cth)

• Conservation Commission Act 1980 (NT)

• Soil Conservation and Land Utilisation Act 1980 (NT)

« Noxious Weed Act 1980 (NT)

• Coburg Peninsula Aboriginal Land and Sanctuary Act1981 (NT)

• Environmental Assessment Act 1982 (NT)

• Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (Cth)

• Protection of Moveable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 (Cth)

• Territory Parks and Wildlife Act 1988 (NT)

• Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1989 (NT)

• Heritage Conservation Act 1991 (NT)

• Water Act 1992 (NT)

• Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment 1992

• Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (Cth)

Land Use

• By laws of the Municipality of Darwin

• Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth)

• Aboriginal Land Act 1978 (NT)

• Local Government Act1990 (NT)

• Crowns Land Act 1992 (NT)

• Planning Act 1999 (NT)

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Industry

• Navigations Act 1912 (Cth)

• Mining Ordinance (Gove Peninsula Nabalco Agreement) 1968

• Northern Territory Tourist Commission Act 1979 (NT)

• Marine Acti 981 (NT)

• Mining Act 1982 (NT)

• Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1982 (NT)

• Petroleum Act 1984 (NT)

• Darwin Port Authority Act 1983 (NT)

• Offshore Waters (Application of Territory Laws) Act 1985 (NT)

• Fisheries Act 1988 (NT)

» Pastoral Lands Act 1992 (NT)

Pollution Control and Waste Management

• Prevention of Pollution of Waters by Oil Act 1962 (NT)

• Dangerous Goods Act 1981 (NT)

• Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998 (NT)

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Attachment C

Northern Territory Coastal Communities (Map

33

34